research

JUSTYNA STAROSTKA
Ph.d., Kozminski University,
Department of Management,
Warsaw, Poland

DIFFERENT APPROACHES
TO DESIGN MANAGEMENT
comparative study among Swedish
and Polish furniture companies

BY JUSTYNA STAROSTKA

46 Swedish Design Research Journal 2 | 12


INTRODUCTION
In recent years design has grown to be one of the most im-
portant tools in winning the customers attention and loyalty
(Perks, Cooper, Jones, 2005). Properly used, it can turn into
a strategic tool helping companies to gain a sustainable
competitive advantage enhancing products, environment,
communication and corporate identity (Sun, Williams,
Evans, 2011). Companies become more and more aware of
the benefits that design can bring into their actions, which is
reflected in growing literature in this field.
At the same time, the level of knowledge and interest
in design management differs from country to country. In
Poland, very little research has been done in this field. The
biggest research project conducted in 2007 by the Institute
of Industrial Design in Warsaw indicated that there is a lack
of resources and specialist knowledge on design manage-
ment and many shortages in the process of collaboration
between designers and other specialists, especially marketing
managers. On the other hand, Sweden is well known for its
excellent design and a lot of research in the field of design
management knowledge has been done in this country.
The aim of this paper is to present the results of a com-
parative study conducted among Swedish and Polish design-
oriented companies from the furniture industry. Research
conducted by Swedish Industrial Design Foundation shows
that in Sweden, the furniture industry buys more design than
any other manufacturing sector (Nielsen, 2004). Despite the
fact that analysis will be about only one sector, we think
that some findings could be useful for other industries. We
also aim to present managerial implications by identifying
gaps existing in design management practices, we intend to
provide some recommendations and best practices.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Today design is not simply about aesthetics or making a pro-
duct easier to use. The traditional role of design in business
was on skills associated with the intuitive, visual and sensual
ways of working (Cross 1993). Whyte, Salter & Gann (2003)
suggest that leading companies recognise that design is an
intellectual asset and they invest in extending this capability.
The role of designer in a company is growing and those
complementary design activities are from marketing, mana-
gement and market research area. This shift is most recog-
nizable in the new product development process, where the
role of designer is most important. Perks, Cooper and Jones
(2005) suggest that three distinct roles can be discerned:
functional, integration and process leadership, where the
last two being far away from traditional scope of designers
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work. Designers more often take actions to manage and lead
the development process, along with non-design functional
actions. Different roles lead to different management structu-
res and the value of design management to business has been
recognize for many years, as Bruce and Bessant (2002) put it:
Good design does not happen by accident, but rather as the
result of a managed process. At the same time however, lite-
rature provides the view that the term design management
presents a significant challenge, as it contains a contradiction
between the remits of the disciplines of design and manage-
ment. Borja de Mozota (2003) stress that design is based on
exploration and risk-taking, whilst management is founded
on control and predictability.
DESIGN LADDER
The role of design is changing. However, there is a question
of how fast companies adapt to this trend. As an answer
to this issue, Danish Design Center developed a tool called
the design ladder. This is a four-step model for grouping
companies design maturity on the basis of their attitudes
towards design. The higher a company is up the ladder, the
greater strategic importance design will play. A company
at the top level where design is seen as innovation considers
design to be of such critical importance that it can reformu-
late some, or even all, aspects of its business. The designer
works closely alongside the companys owners/management
on complete or partial renewal of the total business concept.
Companies on the design as process step see design as an
important aspect of its business design is also incorporated
into much of the corporate philosophy and integrated into
the early stages of the development processes. Design is not
a result but a method and the production outcome requires
contributions from a range of specialists. Below this is de-
sign as styling, where design is seen solely as relating to the
nal physical form of a product. This can be the work of a
designer, but is usually created by other personnel. Non-de-
sign situation occurs when design is a negligible part of the
product development process, usually performed by other
professionals than the designer (Nielsen, 2008).
Studies conducted by Swedish Industrial Design Foundation
in 2004 and 2008 show that the general number of compa-
nies in non-design group is going down (27% in 2004 to 23%
in 2008), at the same time the number of companies in the
group design as strategy is growing (22% in 2004 to 31% in
2008). (Nielsen, 2008). We dont have that specific informa-
tion about Polish market, but we can assume that, due to the
fact that Polish market is still in pre-maturity phase, those
numbers can be significantly lower.
Swedish Design Research Journal 2 | 12 47
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RESEARCH
Objective of our study was to empirically explore the nature
of the current role of design within design-oriented com-
panies (design leaders) from Sweden and Poland 1). This
project was qualitative research aimed to compare managers
attitudes towards design; to look into existing processes in
companies connected with design issues and to explore the
different roles that designers play in organizations.
Weve decided to narrow our study only to design lead-
ers in order to identify and compare best practices in both
countries. In the process of selecting those companies, the
following criteria have been taken into account: number of
design awards (Red Dot Design Award, The Design S in
Sweden and Dobry Wzr in Poland), industry publications,
consultations with design specialists and designers, compa-
nies web pages.
In this research project 24 in-depth interviews were
conducted among two groups of respondents: marketing
managers/CEOs and designers. Interviews were carried out
over a period of six months (from January to July 2010).
Interviews were guided by a semi-structured questionnaire,
ranged from one to two hours, were taped and transcribed.
The broad themes of the questionnaire encompassed the
following: company and respondent characteristics, attitudes
towards design, design management, processes and strategies
connected with design, the role of designer in a company
and design-marketing interplay. In the next section we pre-
sent briefly the results of our study. As this article is limited
in space, we present main conclusions in three areas:
1. Definition and nature of design;
2. Design management;
3. The role and place of designer in the company;
Company names are omitted for confidentiality reasons.
RESULTS
THE DEFINITION AND NATURE OF DESIGN
Our project has shown many differences in almost all fields
of our interest. The most fundamental area was the defini-
tion of design.
Among the Swedish respondents design was seen as a
process referred mainly to the design of the product. Mana-
gers and designers emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of
1) Research in Sweden was founded by the Swedish Institute via the
scholarship from the Visby Program.
48 Swedish Design Research Journal 2 | 12
the concept. Typical definition that was used by respondents
can be presented as this:
Design is an interdisciplinary process of creating a pro-
duct that is the answer to many questions. It is a system
of creating products, when you think about everything;
from materials through functionality, ergonomics. This
process includes all of these aspects.
Most of the interviewees pointed to the fact that good
project should be coherent with the brand and that design
refers to the strategy and philosophy of the entire company,
cannot be identified only with the product. One respondent
described design as the essence of the brand, ensuring the
consistency and clarity of communication and actions. The
following quotation illustrates this point of view:
Design for me is the strategy of the company. () Design
has an impact on the design of the product, but the pro-
duct is a matter of secondary importance. Design allows
you to specify certain values that the brand offers.
Polish respondents expressed more diverse opinions on how
they understand the term design. The main line of divi-
sion concerned the definition given by the managers and the
designers. Managers often identified design with the physical
objects, referring it to the final result (product) rather than
to the process. Statements often oscillated around expensive,
luxury products, addressed to the affluent group of custo-
mers. This approach was very heavily criticized by Polish
designers. They claimed that this perspective is causing that
in general perception of people design is the art of making
things weird and more expensive.Polish designers under-
stood design as a process with great social value.One of
them gave the following definition:
Design is life. Its simple and modest life. It should serve
this elderly lady that lives on the fourth floor.
The majority of designers claimed that their work is very
important, because it is responsible for the whole human
environment; many of them stressed this social mission of
the designers work.
Perhaps the discrepancy between the opinions of managers
and designers on the merits of design stems from the fact
that - as one respondent pointed out - in Poland, well-
designed products are still rather luxury, and the design is an
investment that increases the price of the products.

THE ROLE AND THE PLACE OF DESIGN
IN THE COMPANY
This difference in perceiving the definition of design was
reflected in different roles that designers play in companies in
both countries.
Most of the Swedish interviewees agreed that design
is now an essential tool for managing a company; a tool
that improves functioning of the whole organization in all
areas. As a result of this approach, designers were playing
very important roles. In most cases they were involved in
issues that go far beyond the traditional realm of their work.
Despite the fact that the Swedish companies often worked
with external designers, usually with one or more of them
they were establishing very close cooperation. Often, these
designers were invited to meetings of the company strate-
gists; referred to by respondents as: Design Advisory Board
or Board Product. At these meetings, issues related to the
development of new products, new trends, marketing, public
relations were being discussed. In this approach, designers
were consultants, advisors, while taking over the role of
interpreters of market changes. One respondent described
this phenomenon as follows:
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Most of the companies that strategically approach design,
receive help from designers who act like creative direc-
tors for these brands. For example, the company Offecct
has Eero Koivisto who is a designer for them, but he is
also the unofficial art director of the companyhe leads
them, advises them, looks at the ideas of others.
Respondents emphasized that in recent years, more and more
companies have increasingly became a virtual enterprises,
focusing mainly on designing and building a brand name,
outsourcing production to external entities. This change
has had a direct impact on expanding the requirements for
designers work.
One of them said that today being a designer is like
having several different jobs at the same time. He stressed
that in order to convince the company to his concept, he
often has to create an advertising campaign around his idea,
allowing the company to immediately see the additional
value of new product. It is also more often required to
provide the technological know-how associated with the
manufacturing process or the materials used. Those changes
are well illustrated by the following quotation:
Swedish Design Research Journal 2 | 12 49
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The myth of the designer doing a sketch on a napkin, in a
bar somewhere, has nothing to do with reality. Compa-
nies now very often dont own production, dont have the
knowledge, technological know-how, which means that
we [designers] have to go to the sub-contractor to gain
this knowledge to sell our idea to the specific company.
Polish respondents pointed out that in Poland awareness of
the role and importance of design is now increasing, but
especially in the opinions of designers is still at a very low
level when it comes to proper understanding of the nature of
design. The interviewees paid attention to the fact that pub-
lic awareness of what is the subject of the designers work is
still rather limited. Designer is usually seen as an artist, not
having anything to do with the reality of business. Polish
managers confirmed these opinions very often they argued
that more and more companies are being forced to start
working with designers. These statements were revealing that
in some cases establishing a co-operation with designers were
not a result of company strategy, but rather more of external
pressure, the result of design-related fashion.
As a result of this way of thinking, the majority of Polish
companies are not making the most of opportunities offered
by the design. The designer, even if its pulled into action,
still works as a stylist, concerned with issues related to the
external appearance of the product:
In Poland there is still this perception that the designer
is a stylist: We produce furniture, but more and more
we have a signal that they are ugly, so we need someone
to do it nice.[] In most cases its still very schematic, gement domain.
stereotyped way of thinking and complete fear of doing
something creative, something different.
Representatives of Polish companies were expressing opini-
ons that design is very important marketing tool, claiming
that the designers name higher prestige of product, and thus
the brand. Designers have criticized this approach, arguing
that they are employed by manufacturers mainly just so the
company can use their names and ultimately to raise the
price of the product.
EXISTING PROCESSES DESIGN MANAGEMENT
In the majority of Swedish companies, design management
structure was based around the position of design manager.
Respondents emphasized that design management is not
only about a product, but every aspect of the company mat-
ters style, graphics, and ways of communication. All these
50 Swedish Design Research Journal 2 | 12
aspects must be subordinated to the essence of the brand and
brand values. Typical in this respect was the statement of
one of the managers:
In every decision we make, regardless of what it refers to,
design is always present in this decision. It all starts with
the design thinking. Design plays a role in how we dress,
what cars we drive, how our website looks like... Even this
how we serve coffee and answer the phone - everything
is design management, because you cannot stop the half
way.
Respondents repeatedly emphasized that design must
not only relate to all areas of the company, but also to all
employees. In particular, it is important that at every stage
of work, every employee feels like a co-author of a new
product. One respondent described this as follows:
Its not just about that it was your idea, but this project
must become a part of the entire company, so that every
employee will identify with what you and your team are
doing. [] Every employee should feel somehow a part of
this creative design process.
As emphasized by Polish respondents, the majority of Polish
companies were formed in late 80, during the system trans-
formation in Poland. Those businesses were funded mainly
from private capital, with a critical role of the founders,
who, in most cases, are very often still in charge, taking every
decision, including those connected within the design mana-
Situation described above relates mainly to small com-
panies, larger companies usually situate design management
in the responsibility of marketing department. One such
marketing managers responsible for design, admits that the
process of learning how to cooperate with designers usually
takes place through trials and errors. Many respondents were
stating that Polish companies dont have enough experience
and know-how on how to cooperate with designers:
We have the money, we have the equipment, we
have technical experience, but now there is all about
the establishment of design with which we have no
experience at all. We do not have the march of conduct,
we do not know to what end who should decide whether
the designer should have a main sentence, or the
technologist, or perhaps the head of the company? We
learn all this while we work, during trial and error.
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Respondents often stressed that they have considerable
problems in clarifying the expectations for designers, and
that this often lead to conflicts and misunderstandings. In
addition, one of the managers emphasized the fact that it is
very hard to make everyone in the company to understand
the essence and importance of design. Often, new solutions
offered by designers, reluctantly accepted by other employ-
ees, are most often seen as hindering their work.
Only two of the surveyed Polish companies had a
position of design manager. The scope of their activities,
however, differed greatly from the activities of Swedish
experts. In Poland, design manager was the link between
business and design, and the responsibilities of design
managers were associated more with creating a corporate
image, publicity and PR, than seeking innovation and
building company strategy and culture based on design.

Table 1 presents main

conclusions from
our study. We can
observe considerable
differences in
perceiving the
role of design, the
role of designer in
the organization
and also different
approaches to design
management.

Swedish Design Research Journal 2 | 12 51

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CONCLUSION
There are many roles that design can play in organisations.
It can be source of good marketing strategy, and designer by
himself can be a promotional tool for a company. Thanks to
those actions companies can gain publicity, media attention
and good PR.
On the second level, design can be perceived as process
of making things better. In this case companies can achieve
more effective product development process, new tools and
technologies.
On the third level we have the situation when designer
work alongside with company managers with the whole
business concept. At this level, designers work looks more
like a brand consultant, a strategist. In this approach design
should be reflecting certain brand name and brand values.
As our study presented, Swedish companies operate on
those two, higher levels, while Polish still limit the scope of
design. We strongly believe, that Polish companies, as they
gain more experience with design activities, will be more
likely to perceive design in this more mature approach. In the
meantime, presenting best practices from companies from
other, more mature countries could be a good way of pro-
moting design as a strategic asset rather than promotional
tool. We believe that in order to fasten this process, Polish
companies should as follows:
1. Work more often with external and foreign designers;
2. Expand the area of designer responsibilities in
companies;
3. Place the responsibility for design in hands of
professional design managers.
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